


A Fridge Full Of Vegetables

by spookyfbi



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Clairvoyant Klaus Hargreeves, Commission David "Dave" Katz, David "Dave" Katz Lives, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Implied/Referenced Prostitution, Klaus Hargreeves Gets A Hug, Klaus Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Klaus Hargreeves in a Skirt, M/M, Softie David "Dave" Katz, and much much more
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-30
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-16 09:22:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29080044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spookyfbi/pseuds/spookyfbi
Summary: Klaus dropped the briefcase and stumbled forward, falling to his knees, looking Dave over, drinking him in because it was Dave! It was Dave and how could this possibly be?Or, Klaus is reunited with his Dave who is working for the Commission because I said so.
Relationships: Klaus Hargreeves/David "Dave" Katz
Comments: 3
Kudos: 65





	A Fridge Full Of Vegetables

**Author's Note:**

> Once again, because Commission Dave fics are hard, this is more a premise than a complete fic. I have zero explanation for how Klaus' Dave is alive and working for the commission, along with any other plot ideas. But I hope this is still an enjoyable read regardless.

Klaus stumbled along the footpath, being careful to walk in a straight line. Well, being careful at least not to stumble into oncoming traffic. He wasn’t trying to get himself killed. Although if it happened, would it be the worst thing in the world? Perhaps he’d see Ben again. Ben - his brother, not that Sparrow guy - may be gone in a way that Klaus couldn’t see with his powers, but that didn’t mean he was gone in a way that Klaus couldn’t see if he himself were dead. Did it? Klaus may be the seance, but he had no idea how these things really worked. Perhaps he’d see Dave again. Klaus didn’t even know if Dave had met the same fate in Vietnam or if his life had also been changed like everything else. He had enlisted a few days earlier. Did that mean anything? Perhaps he’d see that little bitch on her bicycle and she’d send him right back. Or perhaps he’d see dear old Dad again and get another shave. Alright, so maybe Klaus dying did have the potential to be the worst thing in the world.

Klaus knew where his body was taking him. It was like muscle memory. Good old… Bill? Bruce? Or was it Boris? Whatever his name was, Klaus knew he had the good shit that would take the pain away, because the bottle of Gin he was halfway through just wasn’t cutting it anymore and he needed something stronger. And he’d just given a random guy a blowjob in exchange for a crisp $100 bill which he’d tucked away in his skirt pocket - Vanya had the nerve to throw away a perfectly good skirt with pockets! - so things seemed to be looking up for Klaus today. As up as they ever tended to be for Klaus anyway.

Suddenly, there were hands on him from behind, one over his mouth and the other around his waist. Muscle memory and some primal self preservation instinct kicked in and Klaus elbowed his assailant and sent his fist flying back into their nose before twisting out of their grasp. Klaus looked back to see who had attacked him and he saw a man in navy blue pants and a hooded black cloak on his knees and doubled over in pain and clutching his abdomen where Klaus had elbowed him. Klaus couldn’t see his face but he supposed it didn’t matter. Some random guy who thought he could get away with god knows what. Served him right! Then Klaus saw a briefcase next to the man and hey, perhaps there was something valuable inside. What were the odds that this was another time travelling briefcase that would take him to the middle of a war zone again? Pretty slim, Klaus figured, even in his inebriated state, and he liked those odds. So he picked up the briefcase and then gave the man a kick in the abdomen for good measure. “You picked the wrong guy in a skirt to mess with, Asshole!” he spat.

Klaus turned around and was about to start wondering where his bottle of gin went when he heard the man speak. “Klaus, wait!” And Klaus stopped and his heart skipped a beat as he spun back around because that voice was so familiar in the most impossible way.

The hood was off and it was Dave and there was blood smeared under his nose and he was leaning back on his heels and looking at Klaus with his brows knitted together and then he closed his eyes so forlornly and it was Dave and Klaus dropped the briefcase and stumbled forward, falling to his knees, looking Dave over, drinking him in because it was Dave! It was Dave and how could this possibly be? Klaus reached out to touch Dave, almost afraid that his fingers would pass right through, but they were met with solid chest, solid shoulder, solid face. Dave opened his eyes then and gave Klaus a sad half smile, reaching his own hand to touch Klaus’ face, cradling his cheek the way he often used to. Klaus ran his thumb along Dave’s upper lip, wiping away the blood that had fallen from his nose. He had an overwhelming desire to murder whoever had hurt Dave in this way before remembering that it was him. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “Years of training and then years of living on the streets, it-” then he stopped and frowned. “Wait, why did you grab me?”

Dave looked down sheepishly. “I was trying to save your life. In retrospect I realise it was kind of a stupid move.” And Klaus knew a thing or two about making stupid decisions in an effort to save a life. But… was he in danger?

“From what?”

Dave looked up at him again, the sadness still in his eyes, and his thumb began stroking back and forth along his cheek. “The heroin you were about to buy.” He said quietly. “The coroner said it was an overdose. I don’t know if it was just a bad batch, or…” The sentence seemed to catch in Dave’s throat. He closed his eyes again and sighed, letting his hands slip from Klaus to cradle his own head. “Shit.” he said. “Shit shit shit.”

“Hey…” Klaus said gently. “It’s okay.” He wasn’t entirely sure what had gotten Dave so upset all of a sudden, but he tried to offer whatever comfort he could.

Dave lifted his head again to look at Klaus. “No, it’s not. I’m not supposed to let you see me.” He ran his hands through his hair and looked around. “What am I gonna do? I have to go back, I have to figure out a way to fix this…” He looked back at Klaus. “Will you come with me?”

“Okay.” Klaus had no idea what was going on, none of this made any sense, but what else was new? But one thing he was sure of, whatever was happening, was that he would follow Dave anywhere.

Dave nodded, then he started to stand up but winced and grabbed his abdomen again, so Klaus helped him up. Then Dave picked up the briefcase that Klaus had dropped and looked back at Klaus with a smile. “Hold on.” He said, as though Klaus had to be told, as though Klaus had let go since they’d made contact.

———

Dave had taken Klaus’ hand as soon as they’d arrived… wherever it was that they’d gone. A building of some sort. He’d ditched the robe after wiping the blood from his face and underneath he was wearing a navy blue suit and a white shirt and a very boring tie. He fit right in among the other people in office attire in this very bureaucratic looking building. Klaus didn’t, with his silver skirt and his white faux fur coat and his no shirt and his sneakers. Not that he cared; the goal of Klaus’ fashion choices was never to fit in, especially not in a place like this. But Dave seemed to get a little edgy whenever someone walked past them and did his best to block Klaus from their view. Klaus couldn’t find it in himself to be too upset about it though. He was still riding the high of Dave being alive, Dave’s hand solid in his own. Dave, about a foot ahead of him, looking around, leading him somewhere, who knew where. Klaus watched Dave’s back as he’d done a few times before as they marched through the Vietnamese jungle, one foot in front of the other. Klaus had followed him then, too, not caring where they were going at that time either. They could have been marching to their probable death. On some days they were, and Klaus still followed. All the way to the front lines, and he’d do it again and again. As long as Dave was there to be followed.

Finally they stopped at a door. There was a placard which read:

INFINITE SWITCHBOARD 2589  
AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY

Dave peered through the peephole above the placard and then opened the door and ushered Klaus in, closing it behind them. He blew out a quick sigh and then made his way over to what looked like… well, a massive switchboard. He let go of Klaus’ hand and took hold of a few wires, and began placing them into various holes in the switchboard. Although he made a few mistakes along the way which got him electrocuted, Dave seemed to know roughly where the wires were supposed to go. It was delightful to watch Dave, sure hands and focussed eyes. It was delightful to watch Dave, period. It was delightful just to know that Dave was alive, living his life and doing things and filling his lungs with air. Klaus studied Dave’s face. He hadn’t realised how much of it he’d forgotten. The image in his mind was much younger, the most recent version of Dave that he’d seen. Much too young for Klaus to feel the way about Dave that he wanted to. This Dave was his Dave, through and through. The Dave who had held him, kissed him, loved him. The Dave who still loved him, because he was alive.

“Okay,” Dave said finally, and then he turned a few knobs and the screens came to life. They showed a hooded assailant grabbing Klaus from behind, Klaus fighting back, taking the briefcase Dave revealing himself, Klaus kneeling down, everything that had happened moments ago. How had all this been captured on film, and at different angles too? “Okay, delete…” Dave muttered to himself as he looked around the switchboard. “If I were a delete button, where would I be…?”

Klaus had an overwhelming feeling that he knew what would help Dave. He leaned across Dave and put his finger over one of the holes. “Why don’t you connect this one…” then he lifted his hand to touch one of the other holes “… to this one?”

Dave looked at him. “You know how to operate the ISB?”

Klaus leaned back and returned Dave’s gaze. His eyes were so blue! Klaus hadn’t forgotten, but… had they really been that spectacular? “The what?” he asked

Dave held his gaze for a few moments and Klaus luxuriated in the sight. Then Dave looked back at the switchboard. “This one and this one?” he asked, pointing to the same holes Klaus had pointed to, and Klaus looked to verify that they were indeed the right ones. Klaus nodded and Dave looked back at him. “Are you basing that on anything in particular?”

Klaus shrugged, “Just a feeling.” He had instincts like this all the time and they’d never steered him wrong. He’d learned to trust them without much question. Dave had witnessed it a couple of times in Vietnam too, though he’d never really believed in that sort of thing. Confirmation bias, he’d called it.

Dave looked at the switchboard and furrowed his brow. He took a wire in his hands, and hesitated for a moment. Then he gave a small shrug and connected the two holes. The screen changed and only the word [DELETED] was displayed in red against a black background. Dave’s jaw dropped and he let out a triumphant noise. He looked back at Klaus grinning form ear to ear, and his hand found Klaus’ cheek again. “You’re incredible” he said reverently, and Klaus had an overwhelming desire to kiss him then. Had they really not kissed yet? So much had happened. Dave was alive and right there and his lips had gone unkissed all this time and that would not do. Klaus leaned into Dave and Dave closed the distance and their lips met and Klaus could smell Dave’s cologne. He’d only worn it when they were on leave, hadn’t bothered in the jungle. They all smelled in the jungle and they all accepted it, but that night in the bar Dave smelled of soap and that cologne and it had been intoxicatingly sexy when Klaus had leaned in and kissed Dave that night for the first time and now Klaus was bombarded with memories of that night, the excitement and the newness of it all after months of not daring to hope. For three and a half years Klaus had not dared to hope that he would ever see Dave again - why would he? And now here Dave was in his arms kissing him and Klaus was overwhelmed and he held onto Dave for dear life - for Dave’s dear life, much more precious than his own wretched one.

Suddenly, the door swung open, and Dave turned and looked towards the door, pulling his lips away. “Shit!” Dave whispered. Klaus spared a quick glance to the intruder - an older woman in a grey skirt and blazer that matched her grey hair. Klaus returned his gaze to Dave, who hadn’t let go of him, so Klaus didn’t bother letting go either.

“Oh my god…” the woman said. “Oh my god, Dave, what are you doing?”

“Shit!” was all Dave could say.

“Are you authorised to use the ISB?” Klaus felt the woman’s eyes on him. He didn’t bother looking back at her. “What is he doing here?”

Dave swallowed. “Barb, please… I am begging you, please just walk away. You didn’t see anything.”

“You brought Number Four to Commission Headquarters? Are you insane? Are you trying to get yourself killed?” Killed? Klaus’ blood turned to ice. He tried to stop the image forming in his mind. He squeezed his eyes shut but it was no use. He knew what was coming. He’d lost so much of Dave’s memory to time but this image was crystal clear. The blood running down the corner of his mouth, the eyes glazing over, the body growing limp in his arms, the color fading from his face. Klaus focussed on his breathing and forced his eyes to open. He focussed on the Dave that was standing in front of him, vibrant and alive and animated. The feeling passed and he swallowed the lump in his throat.

“We won’t be killed if you don’t say anything.” Dave said. Klaus looked back at the woman, Barb was it? Bitch, don’t you dare say anything. Not if it could get Dave killed. 

Dave looked down at Klaus’ hand and took it in his own. Klaus looked back at Dave. He hadn’t realised his hand had been trembling until he felt it against Dave’s steady hand. Dave gave him a look he knew well. They’d sought each other’s gaze countless times in Vietnam, whenever something bad had happened. When they’d lost someone or just made it through a dangerous situation. They’d always look for each other and wordlessly ask ‘you okay?’. Klaus forced a smile and nodded. Dave studied him for a few more moments, and then looked back at Barb.

Barb had said something, but Klaus had been a little distracted and hadn’t heard it. Obviously Dave had though, because he responded. “Alright, what do you want?”

Barb smirked, clasping her hands together. “I want to be maid of honor at your wedding!” Wedding? Dave’s eyes bulged and Klaus noticed the slight tinge of red blossoming in his cheeks. Wedding… what had Klaus missed? Dave closed his eyes, opened them, looked away, then eventually glanced at Klaus before quickly looking away again.

“Barb! We-we haven’t… we’re not… oh my god!” Dave closed his eyes again and the red of his cheeks deepened and Klaus was starting to formulate a theory about this wedding they were talking about.

“Sure!” Klaus said, turning his full attention to Barb now and letting go of Dave, stepping forward. “You can be our maid of honor, and you can help me pick out a dress! Or should I wear a suit?” He did a little twirl for emphasis.

“Oh, a dress, definitely!” Barb said with a squeal. Klaus squealed back and clapped his hands. If Dave’s life was on the line Klaus could certainly play the part of a blushing bride to keep this woman’s mouth shut.

“Then it’s settled!” he said, spinning around to look back at Dave, who was looking at him in horror. Klaus shrugged and took his hand. “Babe, we’ve finally got a maid of honor for our wedding!” Dave was still looking at him, eyes wide, cheeks flushed. He seemed to be trying to convey his annoyance and discomfort through his look, and Klaus read him loud and clear, but he was having entirely too much fun with the situation.

“Barb…” Dave said, looking back at her. “Can you just help me get Klaus back to my place without anyone seeing him?”

———

Dave leaned against the door as it closed behind him. “So, when are we gonna set a date for our wedding?” Klaus quipped. Dave shook his head and looked away. Was he still upset? About Barb, or about…? “What, you don’t want to marry me?” Klaus looked around to distract himself from the doubts that were bubbling away in the back of his mind. Dave’s place was nice, but small. A lot nicer than the cot they each had in a tent shared with nearly a dozen other men. “You’d be lucky to have me,” he said as he opened the fridge, although he knew it wasn’t true. 

Dave’s fridge had vegetables in it. And milk, eggs, cheese, margarine, a jug of water, orange juice… It was the fridge of someone who’s life was in order. No, Dave would not be the lucky one in their hypothetical marriage. Klaus closed the fridge and looked back at Dave when he hadn’t responded.

Dave was wincing and touching his abdomen. Klaus had completely forgotten! “Oh…” He rushed to Dave and helped him to the nearest chair. “Here, let me take a look.” He helped Dave out of his blazer and shirt. As he did so, he couldn’t help looking at the spot on his chest where he remembered Dave being shot. There was no wound. It was as though it had never happened. He placed his palm over it. 

“Commission standard issue body.” Dave said, as though that explained anything. As though that didn’t raise further questions.

Klaus ran his hands down, gently pressing into Dave’s ribs, checking for a reaction. First aid had been one of the skills good ol’ Dad had ensured they’d learned, and every now and then it came in handy. Dave only hissed when Klaus pressed into the soft tissue just below his ribs. “No broken bones,” he said gently, “I think it’s just a bruise. You’ll be alright.”

Klaus looked up at Dave and Dave held his gaze. He ran his fingers tenderly through Klaus’ hair. “I guess you must have a lot of questions about what the hell is going on.”

Klaus shook his head. “No” he said. It wasn’t entirely true, there were questions. But they weren’t nearly as pressing as the fact that Dave’s body - Commission standard issue apparently, whatever that meant - had gone all this time without being kissed. That just wouldn’t do. Klaus pressed a kiss to the spot under Dave’s ribs that he’d kicked earlier that day. And then another, slightly lower. He trailed kisses down Dave’s belly until he got to those boring navy blue pants. Then he undid the top button.

———

Klaus’ head rested on Dave’s chest as Dave ran his fingers up and down Klaus arm. The thud thud thud of Dave’s heartbeat was the most beautiful sound. He could lay like this forever. Dave’s vitality could sustain him. He didn’t realise he’d been drawing a small circle with his finger right where he remembered the bullet hole had been until Dave took his hand and kissed his fingertips. He lifted his head onto the pillow so he could look at Dave. “We don’t have to get married if you don’t want to.” Klaus said suddenly. He hadn’t been planning on bringing it up again, but now that he had, he couldn’t help running with it. “Or is it Barb being maid of honor that’s the problem? Because to be honest with you, I think Allison would kill me if she knew I’d given the job to someone else. I’m pretty sure she’s been designing my wedding dress for almost as long as she’s been designing her own. And if our childhood fashion shows are anything to go by, it’s going to be absolutely horrid. Although her red carpet dresses are pretty classy, so maybe she’s developed some taste. I don’t remember what her wedding dress looked like, I was way too drunk on all the free booze by the time she walked down the aisle.” Klaus stopped rambling when he caught the despair in Dave’s eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“Klaus, you can’t stay here.” Dave whispered. “And I can’t go back with you.”

Klaus swallowed as the words registered. And now the questions bubbled up urgently inside him. How long had Dave been alive, and why hadn’t he told Klaus? And what had he been doing all this time? And did he still want to be with Klaus? Could they pick up exactly where they’d left off in Vietnam? Did Dave still want to? Did Dave still want Klaus now that he wasn’t the only other queer man in their platoon? What did Dave know about the world? What did Dave know about the timeline and the future and had Dave met other men? Had he dated other men? Had he slept with other men? Klaus certainly had, and women too, in the past 3 or so years. So why not Dave? Dave had a life here, wherever here was. He had a nice place with a fridge full of food and a life without Klaus. And Dave deserved it. He deserved to live. He deserved to have a nice place and a nice life. Klaus wanted that for him, whether he was a part of it or not. “Oh…” he said, doing his best to keep his voice and his expression steady. “I understand…”

Dave placed his hand on Klaus’ cheek and held his gaze. “I don’t think you do,” he whispered. Klaus thought he saw the shine of tears forming in Dave’s eyes. “I want to be with you more than anything. When they brought me back, you were the only thing on my mind, all I wanted was to see you. But they told me if you knew I was alive they’d have to kill you. Something about the timeline, I don’t know… So I stayed away. I don’t know why they brought me back only to keep us separated. My whole life I’ve never fit in anywhere and then I finally met someone I fit with perfectly. Klaus, you’re all I’ve ever wanted my entire life. I’ve missed you every singe day I’ve had to live without you. It’s so unfair…” Dave was sobbing now and Klaus wrapped his arms and legs around him, wanting nothing more than to give every inch of himself to Dave so that Dave would never have to feel this way again. Dave clung to Klaus like a lifeline and Klaus felt the prickling of tears behind his own eyes. Dave wiped his eyes and pulled back enough to look at Klaus. “And I would be lucky to marry you,” he whispered.


End file.
